As less invasive medical techniques and procedures become more widespread, medical professionals, such as surgeons, may employ snake-like robotic systems having highly articulated multi-link probes to access parts of the human anatomy that were otherwise difficult to reach. With the use of such robotic systems, medical professionals may be able to replace open-cavity surgical procedures with less invasive procedures.
Such articulating probes can be subject to significant forces in order to control or lock the linking mechanism, and subject the probe to undesired movements and adversely affect the performance of the articulating probe.